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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
 Posted - 14 May 2006 : 00:02:30
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Hi all,
I'm struggling with a high-level Waterdeep plot, and decided by to run it by you folks for comments, if you have any. I'm shooting for something like Elminster's Daughter: a short rollercoaster ride with iconic characters, fun and lots of action. The party are Cormyr based 15th to 18th level heroes Harpers or followers of the Obarskyrs (or both).
Edit:An edited outline goes something like this:
Caladnei needs someone to escort her to Waterdeep when she is selling some of the Obarskyr gem reserves, including the ruby Redstone of Bellidein, which was once part of the regalia for this lost elvish realm.
One of the Purple Dragon Knight are asked to carry the gems while Caladnei negotiates with Mirt and his buyers at Mirt's Mansion.
The evening goes well as Mirt and Asper are splendid hosts, and attendees Ridean Adarbrent, Zelphar Thann and Leonora D'Arcy amongst others, makes great company for visitors from Cormyr.
The evening takes a sharp turn when a shadow creeps through the room, pass over the knight keeping the gems, and the gems disappear.
A well-timed dispel magic (against caster level 20) would draw out the intruder (a NE Human Rogue 4/Fighter 1/Shadow Thief of Amn PG 5) in the midst of the party, but trigger more heavy handed tactics with the attack of 8 Dread Shadows (CR 8). The hapless thief is one of the shadows' target.
The heroes has a chance to use their spells and resources to track down the gems after the Shadow Thieves' attack.
The Shadow Thieves does not want to sit on the gems for long, the meddling heroes only has 6 hours to track down the gems, before they are safely stored in the coffers of Shade.
The Shadow Thieves has prepared a false trail with the bag and some of less valuable gems to the lair of a Shrieking Horror MM3 (CR 10 or 13) in Undermountain.
The heroes track down the gems to a rendezvous point in Undermountain where the Shadow Thieves can meet their allies from Shade discretely, in a fairly controllable environment.
Both groups have places wards around the meeting area to alert if any intruders enters, so intruders are almost surely running into an ambush.
Alauneth the Black Viper (see CoS:W page 69) are the leader of the Shadow Thieves delegation.
The emissaries of Shade, 20 soldiers, are commanded by Hadrhune (see FRCS page 102).
Hadrhune is not taking any risks, and will shadow walk away after a few rounds. Alauneth too is not very keen on fighting opponents that prove more dangerous than first believed.
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Edited by - Snotlord on 17 May 2006 13:06:21
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 00:35:19
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Sounds good to me. It is complex yet simple at the same time. The players will be overwhelmed by their environment while you easily leave clues and run NPC's through the scenery. Good planning is key but I say go for it.  |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 03:46:33
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| I usually like anything that involves throw a few different power groups into the mix. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36798 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 07:39:43
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I like the idea. 
But if you really want to complicate it, maybe one of the gems has some sort of magical power/value that draws yet another player into the mix... Maybe a spellslinger wants the Star Sapphire of Lanadae for a ritual he's working on, or this ruby is actually the Redstone of Bellidein, which was once part of the regalia for this lost elvish realm, and this baelnorn has been trying to get it back for centuries...
Note: I made both of those magical stones up. Feel free to run with them. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 14 May 2006 07:44:54 |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 10:10:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I like the idea.
But if you really want to complicate it, maybe one of the gems has some sort of magical power/value that draws yet another player into the mix... Maybe a spellslinger wants the Star Sapphire of Lanadae for a ritual he's working on, or this ruby is actually the Redstone of Bellidein, which was once part of the regalia for this lost elvish realm, and this baelnorn has been trying to get it back for centuries...
Note: I made both of those magical stones up. Feel free to run with them.
Wooly, could have fooled me with your gems  Good ideas! |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36798 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2006 : 14:46:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Asgetrion
Wooly, could have fooled me with your gems Good ideas!
Put a fun spin on someone else's idea is a specialty of mine.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 13:08:04
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Thanks for the input and ideas.
I've updated the outline in the first post with some of the new stuff, along with my own polished notes. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2006 : 03:17:51
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This sounds like fun, but I'd move the action out of Mirt's Mansion (whilst keeping Mirt and Asper). Otherwise, at least two Watchghosts I know of in published Realmslore, and another haunting that I don't think has made it into print YET, will "jump in" when the Shadow Thief and Dread Shadows do their thing. Y'see, Mirt's Mansion is NOT unguarded.
Why not shift it to a "neutral ground" rented house somewhere in Castle or Trades Ward?
love,
THO |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2006 : 18:47:39
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OR make the chaos complete by throwing wooly's lich and a couple of watchghosts into the mix
So, what the heck is a watchghost? Monster resources are not my stronger points, any resource I should check out? |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2006 : 19:14:28
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Page 89 of Monsters of Faerun . . . although they fail to point out that Watchghosts sort of fade out around the waist showing a transparent view of their ribs.
Before that, I know they were detailed in the Ruins of UnderMountain boxed set. |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2006 : 10:48:26
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So, the Redstone of Bellidein intrigued the players more than I expected, and now I'm stuck with a lore-gem subplot involving the princes of Shade, the Shadow Thieves and mad elven lich or two
Can anyone point me towards a resource on lost Bellidein? |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2006 : 07:04:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Snotlord
Hi all,
The evening goes well as Mirt and Asper are splendid hosts, and attendees Ridean Adarbrent, Zelphar Thann and Leonora D'Arcy amongst others, makes great company for visitors from Cormyr.
Who is Leonora D'Arcy? I don't recall any nobles in Waterdeep with a French family name. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2006 : 17:41:57
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One of players came up with the name and for one of his character's lovers, and I came up with the rest. Ridean, from the outline, is my invention. Here's my notes so far:
Leonora “D’Archy” Yllis (1348 - present) is a small woman with short dark brown hair, freckles and green eyes - and is usually found with a big smile on her lips.
She is an alchemist, a crafter of magic items and tutor of mages. She sometimes patrols with the City Watch, but does to consider herself as much of battlemage, and tends to shy away from combat, preferring a scholar's quiet life.
Her current lover is Jehrell Ophal, the amnish merchant (and secretly a cleric of Mask).
Leonora “D’Arcy” Ylliss CR 9
CN Female Chonadathan Human Wizard 7/Guildwizard of Waterdeep MAG 2
Abilites Str 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 15
Feats Brew Potions, Craft Wondrous Items, Scribe Scrolls, Spell Focus (divination) |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2006 : 00:23:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Snotlord
One of players came up with the name and for one of his character's lovers, and I came up with the rest. Ridean, from the outline, is my invention. Here's my notes so far:
Leonora “D’Archy” Yllis (1348 - present) is a small woman with short dark brown hair, freckles and green eyes - and is usually found with a big smile on her lips.
She is an alchemist, a crafter of magic items and tutor of mages. She sometimes patrols with the City Watch, but does to consider herself as much of battlemage, and tends to shy away from combat, preferring a scholar's quiet life.
Her current lover is Jehrell Ophal, the amnish merchant (and secretly a cleric of Mask).
Leonora “D’Arcy” Ylliss CR 9
CN Female Chonadathan Human Wizard 7/Guildwizard of Waterdeep MAG 2
Abilites Str 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 15
Feats Brew Potions, Craft Wondrous Items, Scribe Scrolls, Spell Focus (divination)
Looks good to me... just drop the "D'Arcy" and she will be a decent NPC. I am sorry, but I tend to dislike any RW names for FR characters. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Caladnei the gem merchant in Waterdeep plot
